Hagan to work against ‘indiscriminate cuts’ for federal forests, bases

Published: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 6:45 p.m.

Sen. Kay Hagan pledged Thursday to “do everything possible” to protect North Carolina’s military bases, national parks and federal forests from across-the-board spending cuts put off in the “fiscal cliff” deal passed by Congress earlier this week.

Along with Sen. Richard Burr, Hagan voted with the majority of 89 senators who approved a compromise Jan. 1 that averted steep tax increases for those making less than $400,000 per year. The deal also delayed for two months $109 billion in automatic cuts to domestic and military spending.

The so-called “sequestration” now scheduled for March would have an “outsized” impact on North Carolina, Hagan said during a conference call with reporters Thursday, since half those automatic cuts would affect defense spending and thus the state’s eight military bases. The other half would involve domestic programs.

“The planned cuts to defense spending would have a serious impact in North Carolina because of our large military footprint,” Hagan said.

But the junior senator also acknowledged the effect sequestration would also have on Western North Carolina’s national parks and forests, which could be forced to reduce services, staff or hours if sequestration isn’t avoided with a long-term agreement to reduce the federal deficit.

A 2012 study by Michigan State University found the Great Smoky Mountains National Park tops the nation’s parks in visitor spending, generating $818 million per year for gateway communities. A 2010 study found Blue Ridge Parkway visitors spend almost $300 million in towns and cities bordering the scenic byway, supporting 4,000 jobs.

“I think states around the country have a vested interest in these federal lands and parks,” Hagan said. “I think it’s critical. They’ve been saved for our generation and generations to come and I think it’s imperative that we uphold the commitment that we have to the current population, but certainly the population yet to come.

“It’s very important that we do everything possible to protect the staffing and the forest. And once again, this is just another example that indiscriminate, non-prioritized cuts across-the-board is not the way to conduct government.”

Over the next two months, Hagan pledged to be an “outspoken advocate for our North Carolina bases and personnel as we work to ensure that our troops are taken care of, and that these cuts don’t leave our country unprepared to defend against future threats.”

Hagan said she’ll continue to urge her colleagues “to take something up along the lines of the Simpson-Bowles plan. While I don’t agree with everything in that report, they produced a serious proposal to get our fiscal house in order.”

Named for co-chairs Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the 2010 bipartisan report recommended $2.9 trillion in spending cuts and $2.6 trillion in tax increases over 10 years.

In order to deal with the deficit, Hagan said more needs to be done to slow the growth of entitlement programs, “while protecting the promises made to our senior citizens.” She also highlighted the need for “serious tax reform that closes corporate loopholes, simplifies our tax code and makes it fairer and simpler for everyone.”

Hagan said the fiscal cliff negotiations offer an important takeaway message about the need for bipartisanship.

“As members of Congress, we may not agree with every idea and every proposal, certainly,” she said. “But we cannot let that hinder our willingness to work together as Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on our most pressing issues. That’s what the public wants.”

Outgoing Rep. Heath Shuler, a Democrat representing the 11th District until yesterday, was among 257 legislators who voted in support of the “fiscal cliff” deal on the House side. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican who represents the 10th District and most of Asheville, voted against the legislation.

<p>Sen. Kay Hagan pledged Thursday to “do everything possible” to protect North Carolina's military bases, national parks and federal forests from across-the-board spending cuts put off in the “fiscal cliff” deal passed by Congress earlier this week.</p><p>Along with Sen. Richard Burr, Hagan voted with the majority of 89 senators who approved a compromise Jan. 1 that averted steep tax increases for those making less than $400,000 per year. The deal also delayed for two months $109 billion in automatic cuts to domestic and military spending.</p><p>The so-called “sequestration” now scheduled for March would have an “outsized” impact on North Carolina, Hagan said during a conference call with reporters Thursday, since half those automatic cuts would affect defense spending and thus the state's eight military bases. The other half would involve domestic programs.</p><p>“The planned cuts to defense spending would have a serious impact in North Carolina because of our large military footprint,” Hagan said. </p><p>But the junior senator also acknowledged the effect sequestration would also have on Western North Carolina's national parks and forests, which could be forced to reduce services, staff or hours if sequestration isn't avoided with a long-term agreement to reduce the federal deficit. </p><p>A 2012 study by Michigan State University found the Great Smoky Mountains National Park tops the nation's parks in visitor spending, generating $818 million per year for gateway communities. A 2010 study found Blue Ridge Parkway visitors spend almost $300 million in towns and cities bordering the scenic byway, supporting 4,000 jobs.</p><p>“I think states around the country have a vested interest in these federal lands and parks,” Hagan said. “I think it's critical. They've been saved for our generation and generations to come and I think it's imperative that we uphold the commitment that we have to the current population, but certainly the population yet to come. </p><p>“It's very important that we do everything possible to protect the staffing and the forest. And once again, this is just another example that indiscriminate, non-prioritized cuts across-the-board is not the way to conduct government.”</p><p>Over the next two months, Hagan pledged to be an “outspoken advocate for our North Carolina bases and personnel as we work to ensure that our troops are taken care of, and that these cuts don't leave our country unprepared to defend against future threats.”</p><p>Hagan said she'll continue to urge her colleagues “to take something up along the lines of the Simpson-Bowles plan. While I don't agree with everything in that report, they produced a serious proposal to get our fiscal house in order.”</p><p>Named for co-chairs Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the 2010 bipartisan report recommended $2.9 trillion in spending cuts and $2.6 trillion in tax increases over 10 years.</p><p>In order to deal with the deficit, Hagan said more needs to be done to slow the growth of entitlement programs, “while protecting the promises made to our senior citizens.” She also highlighted the need for “serious tax reform that closes corporate loopholes, simplifies our tax code and makes it fairer and simpler for everyone.”</p><p>Hagan said the fiscal cliff negotiations offer an important takeaway message about the need for bipartisanship. </p><p>“As members of Congress, we may not agree with every idea and every proposal, certainly,” she said. “But we cannot let that hinder our willingness to work together as Democrats and Republicans to find common ground on our most pressing issues. That's what the public wants.”</p><p>Outgoing Rep. Heath Shuler, a Democrat representing the 11th District until yesterday, was among 257 legislators who voted in support of the “fiscal cliff” deal on the House side. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican who represents the 10th District and most of Asheville, voted against the legislation.</p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>